$16bn power projects fund shared among Obasanjo’s friends- Orji Kalu

28 May 2018, Sweetcrude, Lagos — The Former governor of Abia state, Orji Kalu has alleged that the controversial $16 billion power project fund was shared among former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s friends and loyalists.

Orji revealed this on Channels Television today while reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari and former president, Olusegun Obasanjo’s dispute over the $16 billion power fund, saying that the latter’s friends shared the money.

According to him, the money in question was not missing.

“I know that $16billion is not missing”.

“There was no project done with that money. That money was shared among people who are loyal to Obasanjo. And that is a statement of fact. The money was shared by Obasanjo’s friends; they are the people who shared the money.

“It is not only electricity that should be probed; there are many other things that should be probed in terms of probing what any person in government did. There are many other mistakes that that government made.”

Kalu who noted that a lot of disagreements had ensued between himself and Obasanjo notes, “A lot of import licenses were issued to a lot of people who never deserved it. A lot of money was given to many businessmen which are unaccountable by that government. If Obasanjo’s government deserves to be probed, he should be probed.”

“I don’t see anything wrong in probing any government that has taken Nigerian people’s money. The money belongs to the people of Nigeria. There was a huge corruption under Obasanjo’s government, it’s not only the power sector. I wrote him a letter telling him.

“Nigerian people were deceived and national assets were sold without due process.”

Orji’s outburst comes on the heels of President Buhari’s allegation against Obasanjo last week, saying that the fund was “wasted”.

“Where is the power? Where is the power? And now, we have to pay the debts,” the president said.

However, in an immediate response that suggested Buhari’s comment was directed at him, former president Olusegun Obasanjo said no money for power was mismanaged and that he was ready for a probe.

The House of Representatives had in 2008 described the $16 billion spent on power by Obasanjo’s government as a colossal waste, blaming it on “poor budget planning and a lack of proper oversight by relevant bodies.”